Reference values for the Modified Timed Up and Go Test in Saudi children aged 4–12 years old in Riyadh city: cross-sectional study

PURPOSE: The study aimed to report within-session reliability, estimate the reference values for the Modified Timed Up and Go (mTUG) test in typically developing (TD) Saudi children aged 4–12 years old, develop a reference equation for the estimated mTUG, and compare the measured mTUG in the present study with the predicted mTUG obtained from the previous regression equation. METHODS: In this cross-sectional observational study, anthropometric measurements and mTUG test were investigated in 805 child. The association between the mTUG test and predictive variables was studied. RESULTS: Average mTUG speed was 4.63 ± 0.68 s. Within-session reliability was excellent with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90. The test was significantly and negatively correlated with age, height, and weight (r = −0.66, p = .00), (r = −0.54, p = .01), and (r = −0.33, p = .01) respectively. According to the stepwise regression analysis, age and weight were the predictors and explained 47% of total variance of mTUG scores. CONCLUSION: This study provided the mTUG reference values that can be used clinically to evaluate functional mobility and dynamic balance in TD Saudi children aged 4–12 years. The mTUG scores can be predicted as a function of age and weight. KEY MESSAGES: Modified Timed Up and Go test used to assess the functional mobility and dynamic balance for children with or without developmental abnormalities. Availability of reference values according to age is helpful to compare the performance of children at same ages.